The Gospel Of Matthew Chapter 22 Part 3 The Parable Of The Wedding Feast: Guests Must Have The Right Attire

Matthew 22:1-7  And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2  The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3  And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4  Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5  But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6  And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7  But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 

We previously learned that the "certain king" in this parable represents God the Father.

"His son" represents the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

The words "call them" remind us that the gospel went out to call people to God in both the Old and New Testaments.

The words "Them that were bidden" refer to invited people including unbelieving Jews composed of scribes and priests.

The "servants" sent to summon guests to the feast represent the prophets of God in the Old Testament. 

The word "servants" also looks forward to the apostles of Christ preaching the gospel after Jesus' resurrection.

As always, there are only two responses to the gospel message. Repentance and faith or stubborn unbelief.

The message is clear. 

Our Father in heaven is preparing a wedding feast for His Son and through gospel preaching, all people and nations are invited to come.

When Jesus walked this earth, the gospel went to the Jewish people first, so the king's servants go to the scribes and priests, calling them to come (See Matthew 10:6; 15:24).

They refuse to come and began mistreating the servants, ultimately killing some of them.

This pictures God's prophets constantly calling Israel to repent of idolatry and to return to Jehovah, and their repeated refusals.

This also pictures the scribes, priests and the nation as a whole, rejecting Jesus and shouting "Let him be crucified" (See Matthew 27:20-23).

Therefore, the certain king sends his armies to burn their cities "and destroyed those murderers" which predicted future judgment.

This corresponds with God's judgment upon the Jews who rejected His Son, the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

It pointed to the destruction of the Jewish nation, and the burning of Jerusalem by the Romans, forty years after Jesus preached this parable. 

Isaiah 1:21-23  How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers. 22  Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: 23  Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them. 

Jerusalem became desolate and destroyed by the Romans because the people rejected and crucified their Messiah, Jesus Christ.

This reminds us that the consequences of unbelief are separation from God followed by eternal condemnation. 

Jesus' parable foretells a major shift in who will hear and receive His gospel.

Matthew 22:8-9  Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9  Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 

This part of the parable marks a major turning point for the gospel of Christ. 

On many occasions Jesus said that the gospel of the kingdom was to be preached to the lost sheep of Israel only (See Matthew 10:5-6; 10:23; 15:24).

Almost all of Jesus' preaching and miracles were done exclusively in Israel to the Jewish people.

"They which were bidden were not worthy" refers to Christ rejecting Jews.

God sent His prophets to them, and then sent John the Baptist.

They heard the gospel multiple times through the ministry of John the Baptist, then from Jesus and His disciples. 

Yet, they remained mired in unbelief and rejected the gospel of Christ.

Thus, the Jews were unworthy in themselves as all sinners are, but they were doubly unworthy because they ignored the great blessings and privileges that come with the gospel.

Therefore, the king sent his servants out onto the highways to bid as many people as they could find, to the wedding feast of his son.

The idea of "bid to the marriage" is the same word translated call or called 119 times in the New Testament.

This word is connected with God calling sinners to repentant faith in Christ. 

To this point in His parable, Jesus showed that God was calling the Jewish people to repentant faith in His Son.

Now, the gospel is being sent to non Jewish people (Gentiles) to call them to repentant faith in Christ.

This dynamic shift in Jesus' parable predicted how the gospel would spread from the Jews to all nations.

Acts 1:7-8  And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. 8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. 

This text recorded by Luke contains the last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before He ascended to His Father in heaven.

Jesus told His disciples that they would be His witnesses beginning in Jerusalem.

Next, the apostles would spread the gospel throughout Judea which is the land surrounding the holy city.

From Judea, the gospel was to be taken to Samaria which was the administrative center for the ten tribes of Israel, that broke off from Judah.

From Samaria, the gospel is to be preached to the uttermost parts of the earth, which means taking it to all nations in every continent.

Jesus' words contain an outline for the birth of His church and the spread of His gospel as recorded in the book of Acts.

This truth is prophetically declared in Jesus' parable.

After taking vengeance on those who killed his servants, the certain king spoke to His remaining servants.

He said that the wedding feast is still ready but the original guests (The Jewish nation) were not worthy.

The king commanded his servants to go out into the highways and as many people as they could find, to invite them to the wedding feast.

This connects with the gospel of Christ going to the Gentiles or non Jewish people of the world.

Matthew 12:18-21  Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the Gentiles. 19  He shall not strive, nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets. 20  A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory. 21  And in his name shall the Gentiles trust. 

This is something that God intended to do all along (See Genesis 12:3; 22:18; Isaiah 42:6; 49:6; 56:11; 60:3; Malachi 1:11). 

God's Spirit guided Matthew to record the full scope of Jesus' ministry and showed that gospel would not be limited to only the Jewish people.

Matthew applied Isaiah's prophecy to Christ and His gospel as a beacon calling Gentiles from sin's darkness into God's marvelous light. 

Acts 28:23-28  And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. 24  And some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not. 25  And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers, 26  Saying, Go unto this people, and say, Hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and not perceive: 27  For the heart of this people is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have they closed; lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. 28  Be it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it. 

The apostle Paul's pattern of ministry was to preach the gospel to the Jews first and to help establish them in the faith if they believed.

If the Jews rejected the gospel of Christ or physically assaulted Paul and his ministers, then he would preach to Gentiles.

As the book of Acts concludes, Paul is at Rome preaching the gospel of Christ to the Jews who sought him out.

Some Jews believed while others did not.

Paul connected Jewish unbelief to Isaiah's prophecies and he made it clear that the gospel would be preached to Gentiles and that they would respond to it.

Matthew 22:10  So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 

Therefore, Jesus' parable tells us that his servants (ministers of the gospel) went out and gathered multitudes of people, both good and bad.

That good and bad people were mingled together when the servants gathered the guests from the highways, connects with Matthew 13 and the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares.

This parable pictures the church and the wheat represents those who have been regenerated by the Spirit of God, while tares represent those who make false professions of faith.

The tares will be separated and burned, just as the bad fish will be separated and burned in the Parable of the Net.

This pictures judgment day where the believers are raised from the dead and given entrance to heaven at the resurrection of life.

After that comes the resurrection of damnation where the bad will be separated out and consigned to the fires of Hell for eternity (See John 5:24-29).

The wedding feast was now filled with guests and the meal and ceremony could proceed for the king's son. 

Matthew 22:11-12  And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12  And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 

The king came to observe the guests and he encountered a man who did not have a wedding garment.

Remember, Jewish marriage customs showed that the bridegroom's father generally supplied the same robe for all to wear at this feast.

This pictures of each Christian being robed in white which is an indicator of having Christ's righteousness imputed to us by faith.

Thus, all saints in heaven will wear robes of white supplied by God.

The fact that the king saw a man without the appropriate garment, pictures someone who made a false profession of faith in Christ.

They attended church, said the right things and maybe even read a Bible, but they never received a new heart and a new spirit from God.

Therefore, they were not attired in robes of white and were to be ejected from heaven.

The man stopped by the king was speechless and this shows that in the day of final judgment, the wicked will not be able to complain or say anything against God.

He will judge and condemn them by their own works and words. 

Matthew 22:13-14  Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14  For many are called, but few are chosen. 

2 Thessalonians 1:7-10  And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8  In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9  Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; 10  When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. 

The end of Jesus' parable connects with Paul teaching us about Christ returning as the King of Righteousness.

He will judge the wicked using flaming fire to take vengeance upon all who refuse to obey His gospel

They will receive everlasting punishment and be eternally banished from the presence of God and cast into outer darkness where the fires never die out.

"Many are called, but few are chosen" is a phrase often used by Jesus to show the stark difference between belief and unbelief.

The Jews had been called by God for centuries, but few of them chose to hear and heed the words of eternal life. 

Jesus taught about two gates, two roads and two opposite eternal destinations.

He said that comparatively few people enter the restrictive gate and walk on the narrow, God pleasing way that leads to eternal life.

Most people entered the wide gate and walk on a broad road that leads to eternal destruction (See Matthew 7:12-14).

Jesus taught that there are only two kinds of fruit trees. Good trees bring forth good fruit and corrupt trees bring forth corrupt fruit.

The corrupt trees will be cut down and burned (See Matthew 7:15-20).

Jesus taught that there are only two foundations people build their lives on: solid rock or sinking sand.

Those who build their home on solid rock are those who hear and heed the words of Jesus.

Their future is secure and able to withstand all storms.

Those who build a home on shifting sands are those who refuse to hear and obey Christ's Words.

Their future is not secure and their homes will be destroyed by the storms (See Matthew 7:24-27).

What we learn is that Jesus wants us to share His gospel with others because that is the way God chooses to save lost souls.

He also wants us to life our life in conformity to His Word so that our testimony is true and so that we bear fruit for His kingdom.

Let us sow the good seed of the gospel into the lives of people we know.

The pattern is to begin at Jerusalem which is our home and immediate family.

Then we sow gospel seed at Judea, among our family and friends.

Next, the seed must go to Samaria, which represents the places we go like school, the market or work.

Last, this good gospel seed must be sown to the uttermost parts of the earth, to all nations.

God's heart is to call people out of the darkness of false religions like Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and to bring them into the marvelous light of Christ's gospel.

Jesus is the only way to the Father.

Jesus is the only door that we can enter into heaven.

Jesus is the only name under heaven given among men whereby all sinners must be saved.

The gospel teaches us about sin and its deadly consequences.

The gospel promises that all who repent of their sin and call upon Jesus to save them, will be saved!

God promises to give a new heart and a new spirit to each person who calls upon Jesus Christ for salvation.

Jesus is not just a good teacher. He is the Word of God made flesh.

Jesus is not just a provider of good morals. He is the author of the Ten Commandments and God's absolute immutable moral standard.

Jesus is not just a prophet, He is the Son of God, the Creator of all things who upholds all creation by the Word of His power.

Turn from dead religion and trust Christ today.

Turn from self reformation and allow God to transform you from the inside out.

Turn from trying to do enough good works to gain God's favor, and trust in Christ who alone can save you.

Let today be the day of your salvation because none of us are guaranteed tomorrow!

Bob